Chapter 24：The Prey Caught in the Trap

The commotion startled the small lizard sleeping in Allen's pocket. The little creature, still groggy, began to move, but Allen quickly noticed.

Seizing the opportunity while pretending to retrieve something from his pocket, Allen tightened the belt around the lizard's hiding spot, gently soothing it.

Allen then pulled out an ancient-looking, yellowed parchment from his pocket.

On Earth, when Allen was struggling to make ends meet, he had dabbled in antique forgery.

He had learned some counterfeiting techniques and once used a fake, weathered treasure map to deceive a British man.

The parchment he now pulled out was a fake, modeled after the specifications of the Dark Ritual parchment, containing a falsified recipe for the Plant Mage's Curse.

Of course, the recipe was now labeled as the "Elixir of Awakening."

Although the Obion family ruled Redwood, Little Obion had chosen his own name.

As a member of an obscure branch of the Obion family, Little Obion's father was merely a viscount in the rainforest city of Baken.

As an illegitimate child, Little Obion was not valued and faced much scorn, ridicule, and exclusion.

Though his knowledge surpassed that of commoners, it was only marginally better.

An illegitimate child with no standing could never access the extraordinary realm.

He might know of the three major mystical professions and have seen mystical creations.

But he had no right to access mystical knowledge and certainly couldn't recognize an Elixir of Awakening recipe.

Naturally, under normal circumstances, Allen wouldn't have this ability either.

Thus, Little Obion snatched the parchment from Allen's hand and opened it, scanning the contents.

Instead of excitement or surprise, he burst into loud laughter, "You fool, I thought you had found some treasure. You've been duped, you stupid idiot!"

He tossed the parchment to the ground, "How could a lowly commoner like you come into possession of an Elixir of Awakening? The merchants in the black market prey on people like you! Even ordinary potion recipes are hard for nobles to obtain, let alone an Elixir of Awakening! You couldn't afford a single word of the recipe even if you sold yourself."

His followers echoed his laughter.

Allen feigned a hurt expression and quickly picked up the parchment, "Sir, this is a genuine treasure. I bought it from a dying old beggar, spending two large sacks of grain and a hundred copper coins!"

The followers were astonished, realizing the significant value of such an amount.

But Little Obion laughed even harder, "Hahaha, you fool! Do you know the value of a genuine Elixir of Awakening recipe? It could establish a small noble house. It's not something you can buy with a hundred copper coins and some grain!"

Despite Little Obion's disdain, his followers eyed the parchment in Allen's hand greedily.

Regardless of its authenticity, it was worth hundreds of copper coins and had ties to nobility.

Under Little Obion's miserly rule, these men barely scraped by.

Allen ignored these opportunists, knowing he would deal with them once he regained control of the ranger team.

"Sir, this recipe is genuine. I tested it..." Allen insisted.

Little Obion, initially dismissive, stopped mid-whip, intrigued, "You tested it?"

Allen nodded confidently, patting his chest, "I spent a lot of money to buy the ingredients and made a small bottle. I gave it to a dying beggar."

"And the result?" Little Obion asked eagerly.

Allen didn't continue, instead glancing at his burned house and then at Little Obion's followers.

Little Obion, eager for the conclusion, understood Allen's hesitation.

Though miserly and obsessive, he wasn't stupid.

He raised his whip and struck a thin-faced man among his followers.

"Ahh!" The man screamed in pain.

"This fool took it upon himself to burn your house. But if the recipe is genuine, I'll give you a large wooden house as compensation!"

The followers were envious. A large wooden house was a rare commodity.

It was ironic that Little Obion, who claimed the Elixir of Awakening recipe could establish a noble house, offered Allen only a wooden house as a reward.

Little Obion then dismissed his followers with a wave of his whip.

"Alright, now you can speak. If you're lying, watch out for your head!" Little Obion dismounted from his antlered deer, glaring at Allen.

Allen, feigning subservience, approached, "I wouldn't dare lie to you, sir. The beggar drank the potion and recovered his health, gaining significant strength. He was able to work the next day."

Little Obion, increasingly convinced, thought that even if the recipe couldn't awaken powers, it could enhance physical strength.

Such a thing would still be a valuable potion recipe.

"And the beggar?" Little Obion demanded proof.

Allen shook his head, "Sir, I couldn't risk exposing such a treasure. The black market is too crowded and unpredictable, so I killed the beggar..."

Little Obion approved of Allen's cunning, thinking it explained why he had once been the ranger team captain.

But he still scowled, "Without seeing the beggar, how can I be sure you're telling the truth?"

Allen had anticipated this question. He pulled a small wooden bottle from his waist pouch.

"I didn't use it all. I kept some for myself and brought a large bottle back for you."

Little Obion eyed Allen suspiciously, "Why didn't you drink it all yourself and instead brought it back with the recipe?"

Allen, more obsequious, explained, "I only gained some strength, nothing else. Besides, the ingredients are too expensive for me. I thought it would be more useful to you, sir. I don't know anything about Elixirs of Awakening."

Satisfied, Little Obion nodded. This sycophantic and ignorant demeanor was fitting for a lowborn commoner.

But he still wanted proof, "Since you claim the potion increased your strength, show me."

Allen, playing the part of a lackey, ran to the ruins of his house and lifted a large stone.

With a loud yell, "Ah—lift it!"

The hundred-kilogram stone was lifted with difficulty by Allen.

Little Obion was shocked. Lifting a hundred-kilogram stone was challenging even for trained knights or warriors, not just because of the weight but the awkward lifting position. Yet, a commoner like Allen had done it!